Actress and musician Saba Azad spoke candidly about women’s health, sexuality, menstruation and the stigma surrounding visiting gynecologists. While promoting the second season of her show Who’s Your Gynac?, Saba spoke at length about the shame women still face around their bodies and reproductive health.
‘There is a lot of shame around women’s bodies’
Speaking about why many women are hesitant to see a gynecologist, Saba said while appearing on the ‘Two Girls & Two Cups’ podcast, “Women talk about therapists very openly but we still don’t talk about women openly because there’s a lot of shame, man. There’s a lot of shame around sexuality, there’s a lot of shame around women’s bodies, there’s a lot of misinformation about women’s bodies. People give you horror stories.”
“The conversation began when one of the hosts admitted that her first visit to a gynecologist only happened recently because she was “so afraid of the experience.” Saba sympathized with the fear experienced by many women and said that people rarely discuss these matters openly.She also noted that women often felt judged during consultations. “You actually want to feel safe when you go to the doctor and not be judged, and a lot of times it’s quite the opposite,” she said.
“What does marriage have to do with my body?”
During the discussion, the hosts also mentioned how some doctors ask women about being sexually active or single. In reaction to this, Saba questioned the importance of marital status in medical forms.“First, sometimes there’s a question on the forms — ‘Are you married?’ What does that have to do with my body? God damn it. I don’t have to be married,” she said.The actress also expressed her appreciation for Who’s Your Gynac? He approaches women’s health with sensitivity and humor.
According to her, humor becomes an effective tool to talk about “measurable things and important things” in a way that the audience can absorb it without being disturbed.
“Men should at least educate themselves.”
Saba also talked about hormonal changes, premenstrual syndrome, and the lack of awareness among men about women’s health.“If you really care about being an ally or even just a good enough friend or partner, you should know that this is the bare minimum,” she said. “We’re wrestling with some serious hormones and it’s hard, man.”“And when I lose the plot, I want you to know why. It would be nice if people could inform themselves a little and not make it about women’s moods.”It also highlighted the physical and emotional damage that women can suffer. “Did you know that it would take men 150 years to go through the kind of hormonal fluctuations that women go through during one menstrual cycle?” she said.
“Remove the black plastic bag.”
Speaking about the stigma associated with menstruation in India, Saba recalled how sanitary napkins are often discreetly wrapped in newspapers and black plastic bags in pharmacies.“Do you know how you go to the pharmacist and he wraps it in newspaper and puts it in a black plastic bag? Remove it,” she said, describing it as “the best kind of rebellion.”She also stressed the importance of sexual education and awareness. She added: “You should know about menstruation. If you don’t know about it, shame on you.”
“Gynac should be a safe place”
Encouraging women to prioritize regular check-ups, Saba said that understanding one’s body should never be treated as shameful.“I think knowing and understanding your body is a beautiful thing. The clinic should be a safe place,” she said.“It’s better to be informed than not informed, and it’s better to get your information from a professional than from the interwebs or ChatGPT.”The actress added that annual gynecologist visits are “essential” and women should prioritize Pap smears and mammograms for early detection and awareness.
Saba Azad Green flags in relationships
Aside from women’s health, Saba also shared what she considers to be a green sign in a partner.“Someone who listens and understands, has empathy and is willing to look inward…and is willing to grow. And the curiosity is there too,” she said.Saba ended the conversation on a humorous note, saying, “If your body is making noises during sex, that’s great. At least someone is communicating.”